Beauty Care

How to Make an Avocado Scrub

We all know that a healthy diet is important for clear skin, but some of our favorite foods — like that creamy avocado — can translate beautifully to your skin care routine, too. If you’ve been having trouble with harsh, irritating scrubs from the store, don’t fret. This easy-to-make avocado scrub boasts natural, mild ingredients that will help smooth and soothe your skin without breaking the bank.

In addition to its nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, the avocado has the added benefit of contributing good fats, which can moisturize your skin without leaving it greasy. Healthy avocados also contribute 6% of the daily value for Vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects body tissue from damage and helps keep the immune system strong against viruses and bacteria. This recipe will make a small jar of avocado exfoliating scrub, which you can use all at once for a full-body cleanse, or as a gentle morning and evening face scrub for up to a week.

If you’re shopping for avocados the same day you plan to make your scrub, you’ll want to make sure they are ripe. A dark green, almost black avocado that yields to gentle pressure is ready for you. If you find that they need a little help, simply ripen avocados quicker by burying them in rice and check daily, they should be ready in a couple of days.

Ingredients:

– 1 cup cane sugar or sea salt

– 1 whole avocado, mashed

– 1/2 cup avocado oil

Optional additions:

– 1 tablespoon of honey, for clarifying

– 1/4 cup aloe vera juice, for soothing irritated skin

– Up to 10 drops of mild essential oil (lavender, chamomile, and rose are all great)

Directions:

1. Scoop out the avocado flesh and blend or whip it with the oil until smooth. If you’re worried that the avocado you bought won’t be ripe in time, use this easy heat method to help it along!

2. Once you have the avo mixture smooth, mix in the sugar or salt to form a thick paste. Optional: add in honey, aloe vera juice and/or essential oil drops.

How to Use:

Get your skin wet with warm water first, then use your fingers to apply the scrub with gentle circles. Try to leave the scrub on your skin for a minute for the moisture to soak in, and don’t wash with soap immediately after you rinse. And remember, if you’re bringing this oil-based scrub into the shower with you, be careful, because that tub is going to get slippery!

Be sure to store the scrub in an airtight container and use it as soon as possible. It will be at its best within the first 24 hours. As it oxidizes, it will get darker, so if you are going to make a large batch, be sure to invite over some friends for a spa day so you can share the avo bounty.